Spotlight: Yoke Yoga – Bridging Tradition and Technology
PROFILES
Susanna Barkataki is leading a quiet revolution to shake up the yoga world with her groundbreaking Yoke Yoga social platform. Yoke Yoga is more than just a yoga app; it’s a mission to transform how we engage with an ancient practice in today’s digital age.
Susanna’s journey began with the realization that the true essence of yoga was being overshadowed by its Western commercialization. “I had this understanding that if we are to truly honor yoga’s roots and extend its benefits, the change had to begin with the practitioners themselves,” she explains. From this insight, Yoke Yoga was born—an initiative aimed at making yoga accessible, inclusive, and deeply connected to its origins and moving away from fitness culture.
Yoke Yoga is designed to integrate seamlessly into daily routines, allowing users to practice yoga at their convenience. “It’s about turning the impulse to doom scroll into something positive. We’re using the platforms people are already on—their phones—to introduce them to yoga,” Susanna notes. This accessibility is central to her vision of breaking down barriers and making yoga universal.
Yoke Yoga’s philosophy is to make yoga an integral part of daily life, beyond the confines of traditional studios. “We’re moving away from scripted, polished scenarios and bringing yoga into the messy, beautiful reality of everyday life,” she says. This approach demystifies yoga, inviting people who might feel intimidated by the conventional yoga studio environment. Susanna envisions a platform where yoga meets people in their living rooms, workplaces, and even during their commute.
Central to Yoke Yoga’s mission is its commitment to social justice. The platform is built on the pillars of diversity and equity, ensuring that everyone, regardless of body type or background, feels welcomed and represented. “From the start, we’ve been committed to trauma-informed practices and celebrating diversity,” Susanna states. “It’s not just about adding diversity as an afterthought—it’s about making it the foundation of what we do.”
Yoke Yoga is a beacon for those seeking a more authentic and accessible yoga experience. By blending traditions like mudra, meditation and mantra with the innovation of meeting modern yogis where they are—online and on their phones, her and her team are paving the way for a more inclusive and holistic approach to wellness.
Learn more: yokeyoga.com
